God is Faithful

God is faithful.

OD is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?--The Lord sware and will not repent.

God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.--Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.--Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.--All the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

1 COR. 10. 13. Nu. 23. 19.--He. 7. 21.
He. 6. 17, 18.--1 Pe. 4. 19. 2 Ti. 1. 12.--
1 Th. 5. 24.--2 Co. 1. 20.

The Gift

Yesterday I received a book in the mail that looks to be a real treasure. It is called "Golden Hours: Heart-Hymns of the Christian Life." It contains a collection of poems by Elizabeth Prentiss (author of "More Love to Thee"), written during some of the most difficult years of her life. It was out of print for over a hundred years until 2001 when it was republished by Solid Ground Christian Books. Already I have been blessed in just reading the first few entries. I will share one with you that especially spoke to me.


The Gift

I asked of Thee a gift, Jesus, my Lord,
And my expectant eyes looked up, to see
That blessing speedily from Thy dear Hand
Come down to me

I waited, but it came not; asked again,
And thought to see it come in angel-guise,
And when it lingered, found no words to tell
My sad surprise.

Dear Savior, have I asked amiss, I cried,
What was there lacking in my earnest prayer
Did it seek heaven upon too weak a faith
To enter there?

Full long I pondered, hoping that the gift
For which I earnestly my Lord besought,
Would, if attained, fill my whole soul with love,
And holy thought.

But as He still denied it, did not choose
To give it me, I cast and threw my will
Down at His feet, and bid it there to lie,
Patient and still.

Should not the Hand so bountiful to me,
Reserve the right to choose for me my good,
Should I not glory in His ways, if they
Were understood?

Thus musing, to my closet yet once more
I stole, if only lovingly to say,
Do what Thou wilt, dear Lord, for Thy "sweet will,"
Is mine, alway.

When lo, within that closet, waiting me,
I found the risen Christ, and oh what grace,
What love, what beauty and what tenderness,
Shone in His face!

And thus He spake, That was but seeming good,
Thy childish ignorance so boldly craved,
Withholding it My love protected thee,
From danger saved.

But I have come instead; yes, here am I,
Thy longed-for Savior; lean upon my breast,
Thy disappointment shall give place to joy,
To peace and rest!"

Ah Lord! Too sacred was that wondrous hour!
The veil that hides it let no mortal lift;
Great was the grace I sought, but oh how small
Beside Thy gift!

Today and Tomorrow

Here's a quote from Elisabeth Elliot that I thought was especially appropriate for this first day of Spring.

"Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly what is required of me now. "

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

"Thou hast strengthened me"

Strengthen thou me according unto thy

word.

EMEMBER the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.--O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.--Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

Fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.--Be strong, . . . and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts.--Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

PSA. 119. 28. Ps. 119. 49.--Is. 38. 14.
Lu. 21. 33.--Jos. 23. 14. Da. 10. 19.--
Hag. 2. 4.--Zec. 4. 6. Ep. 6. 10.

Things that are pleasing to God

Things that are pleasing in his sight.

ITHOUT faith it is impossible to please him.--So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.--The LORD taketh pleasure in his people.

This is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.--If, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.--The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, . . . is in the sight of God of great price.

Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.--I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

I beseech you, . . . brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

1 JOHN 3. 22. He. 11. 6.--Ro. 8. 8.--
Ps. 149. 4. 1 Pe. 2. 19, 20.--1 Pe. 3. 4.
Ps. 50. 23.--Ps. 69. 30, 31. Ro. 12. 1.

Undaunted Radiance

I read the following from Oswald Chambers this morning in My Utmost for His Highest. What joy we can experience when our focus is Him!

"Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." Romans 8:37

"Paul is speaking of the things that might seem likely to separate or wedge in between the saint and the love of God; but the remarkable thing is that nothing can wedge in between the love of God and the saint. These things can and do come in between the devotional exercises of the soul and God and separate individual life from God; but none of them is able to wedge in between the love of God and the soul of the saint. The bedrock of our Christian faith is the unmerited, fathomless marvel of the love of God exhibited on the Cross of Calvary, a love we never can and never shall merit. Paul says this is the reason we are more than conquerors in all these things, super-victors, with a joy we would not have but for the very things which look as if they are going to overwhelm us.

"The surf that distresses the ordinary swimmer produces in the surf-rider the super-joy of going clean through it. Apply that to our own circumstances, these very things - tribulation, distress, persecution, produce in us the super-joy; they are not things to fight. We are more than conquerors through Him in all these things, not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. The saint never knows the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but because of it - "I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation," says Paul.

"Undaunted radiance is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can alter. The experiences of life, terrible or monotonous, are impotent to touch the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

All Things for Good

He . . . preserveth the way of his saints.

HE LORD your God . . . went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.--As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: so the LORD alone did lead him.--The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.--Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.--For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.--We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.--With us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles.

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy.

PROV. 2. 8. De. 1. 32, 33.--De. 32. 11, 12.--
Ps. 37. 23, 24.--Ps. 34. 19.--Ps. 1. 6.--
Ro. 8. 28.--2 Ch. 32. 8. Zep. 3. 17.

Psalm 119:82

I'm still slowly moving through Psalm 119, reading Thomas Manton's sermons on each verse as I go. What a treasure house it has been to me! The verse for today was: "Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When will thou comfort me?" I have been echoing that lament this past week due to various and sundry recent circumstances in my life. From a human standpoint, there seems to be no good reason for all of the "delays" and interruptions in my well laid plans. And yet God has promised to work ALL things together for good, to do ALL things well, and to give us "not disaster" but rather "a future full of hope".

Manton lists some reasons God sometimes delays the performance of His promises to us:
"(1) Not because he is unwilling to give, but because he will have us better prepared to receive
(2) To awaken fervency of prayer, and that the blessing may be the more earnestly sought after, and highly valued...that which is earnestly sought, is the dearer to us.
(3) God doth it, to prove and exercise our faith.
(4) That patience may have its perfect work.
(5) God delayeth the accomplishment of his promises, because many times the frame of his providence requireth it. All God's works have their appointed hour and time...Our time wherein we would have him work, and his time wherein he will work, are often very different; for he will not manifest his help when it will please us best, but when his glory in working may be best seen." (emphasis added)

That last point about sums it up for me. He IS working mightily in all of our circumstances to conform us to the image of His Son, and to bring the most glory to Himself. "The fact that I'm held in the everlasting arms sustains me, comforts me, gives me peace" (Elisabeth Elliot).